Impression Evergreen

The French Quarter The French Quarter in New Orleans is chaotic, dirty, dark, decadent, debased, lurid, raucous, salacious, shocking, unrestrained and wild, and I love it. The old market is a potent potpourri of people, sights, sounds and smells that overload your senses in a way you’ve never experienced before. A modest family man, I resist the temptation to partake in the public depravity proceeding all around me. Instead, I melt into the dank alleyway and take photographs of the eclectic architecture and outrageous activities. The rowdy neighborhood is overcrowded with excited revelers who have apparently overcome their natural inhibitions. Visitors hang over the wrought iron railings while impromptu parades march through the streets, impeding the progress of any automobiles crazy enough to enter the fray. The din of this extravagant absurdity is drowned out by the live music that explodes from every orifice in the locale. The exuberant mixture of melodies is a simmering ...

The National Mall A few weeks ago I taught a colored pencil drawing class in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. My family tagged along so after the weekend-long workshop, we decided to extend our stay and visit the National Mall in Washington, DC. Early Monday morning, during a severe thunderstorm that produced heavy rain and terrible flooding, we headed to Alexandria, Virginia. Upon arriving at our hotel, we hopped on the shuttle bound for Ronald Reagan Airport. From there we boarded a subway train that carried us into the metropolis. We emerged from the darkness of the Smithsonian Stop and stumbled on a concrete jungle that was choked with chaos and confusion. Still soaking wet from the persistent downpour, we went into the Natural History Museum first and were impressed by the lavish displays that filled the enormous halls. We examined hundreds of animal species, ancient fossils and impressive meteorites but the highlight of the collection was the astonishing Hope Diamond. O...

Picturesque Polar Bear While taking animal pictures down in the city during the early fall, it was a delightful day at the Denver Zoo. In the cool weather and clear light the animals appeared active and contented, inspiring our creativity. Sometimes it’s difficult to look at creatures confined to cages but during our five hour trek in the open air park, we were able to observe some exotic species that we’d never be able to see in the wild. While strolling in such a controlled setting, it was the perfect place to practice shooting with a digital camera. Rather than just click, the challenge was to compose interesting portraits that captured the mood and personality of the engaging subjects. Just like the spotted hyena, many of the creatures were content to bask lazily in the warm sunshine. A Dall sheep ram seemed happy while holding the high ground just above a cud-chewing, reticulated giraffe. A banded mongoose was an innocent observer of the goings on around him while a n...

Houston during a monsoon Mid-April, we flew to the nation’s fourth largest city for a hoops tournament and survived a truly treacherous travel experience. We departed Denver during a blizzard and landed in Houston during a monsoon. H-town is a polished metropolis distinguished by sweltering heat, high humidity, heavy rain and unexpected u-turns. Punctuated by a profusion of palm trees, the spring greenery seemed especially exotic. A network of elevated highways weaves its way through the glittering domain of glass and steel. While I don’t have anything against the urbane and sophisticated, I just feel more at home in the high country. The basketball jamboree was a dream come true for my son who played against some of the best players in the nation. Getting out of town on Monday was a nightmare as bad weather forced the cancellation of our pre-dawn flight. We frantically scrambled to find a way back and after a long day filled with worry, we luckily managed to board a plane...

Ouray, Colorado Ouray is a small, mountain town wedged into a steep canyon below the San Juan Mountains. The magnificent setting is reminiscent of the European Alps so the high altitude community is often referred to as the “Switzerland of America”. The vacation resort is famous for it’s Box Canyon Falls which offers superb ice climbing during the winter and a relaxing hot springs that’s open all year round. It’s also the gateway to Yankee Boy Basin, a beautiful valley chock full of mining history and summer wildflowers. Connecting Ouray to the lofty city of Silverton, the Milion Dollar Highway is considered one of the most dangerous roads in America, but if you can handle the sharp turns, steep ledges and lack of guard rails, I believe its the most scenic passageway in Colorado.